Automatic sprinkler apparatus.



E. L. THOMPSON.

- AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 30, 1912.

1 46,798. Patented Nov. 13, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1. 88

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AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 30, 1912.

1,246,798. 7 Patented Nov; 13, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

WITNESSES ATTORNEYS j TED STA ATENT EVERETT L. THOMPSON; 0F DOVER, NEWJERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO SYPHO-CHEMICAL SPRINKLER CORPORATION, OFCROTON-ON-I-IUDSON, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent. i

Patented Nov. 13, 1917.

Application filed November 30, 1912. Serial No. 734,244.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EVERETT L. THOMP- S a citizen of the United States,and resident of Dover, Morris county, State of New Jersey, have made acertain new and useful Invention Relating to Automatic SprinklerApparatus, of which the following is a specification, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, which form part of the same.

This invention relates to automatic sprinkler apparatus comprising adistributing system and cooperating feeding devices, such as a tank andoutside main feed pipe connected to the feeding point of thedistributing system which may be provided with a supply riser andconnected sprinkler supply lines and a drain riser having automatic airventing means communicating with the sprinkler supply lines andconnected at one or more upwardly venting points in the distributingsystem. The distributing system may also have suitable cross connectionsso as to simultaneously supply water to the sprinkler supply lines inboth directions from the supply riser and drain risers under emergencyconditions which makes the system more reliable and effective. SuitableVenturi or other measuring devices and connections may also bearrangedin the distributing system and in connection with cooperating valvedtesting and discharge connections may be used to measure the flowthrough the different sprinkler supply lines or distributingunits of thesystem and flushing valves and connections are also preferably installedto flush the separate sprinkler supply lines or distributing units outin the opposite direction, from the drain risers.

In the accompanying drawings showing in a somewhat diagrammatic wayseveral illustrative embodiments of.this invention,

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a sprinkler system. I

Fig. 2 is a similar enlarged view showing part of the same. I

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing another illustrative system. 7

Fig. 4 is a detail thereof.

Fig. 5 is a detail of the vent valve construction.

In the illustrative sprinkler system shown in Fig. 1 the distributingsystem arranged, throughout the building may be connected with an alarmvalve 9 of any desired construction and the feeding point or pipe 15below the alarm valve may be connected with feeders of various kinds.For example, the tank feed pipe 8 may be connected with a tank 1 havinga gate valve 2 and check valve 3 and may if desired alsobe connectedwith a suitable pressure tank 7 having a shut-0E valve 5 in itsconnection 6 and also a suitable check valve 4 therein. If desired alsothe feeding point may be connected with the city main feed pipe or anyoutside main feed pipe 48 having, if desired, a suitable check valve 13and gate valve 14 and an auxiliary pump feed pipe 49 may be installed ifdesired by which any desired pumping device 10 may feed water into thesystem past the check valve 12 when the shut-off valve 11 is open.

The distributing system is preferably upwardly pitched toward one ormore venting points so as to automatically free the system from airwhich may if desired be automatically removed from the system throughsuitable automatic. air vent valves of any desired description. In thisway the entire distributing system may be kept free from air and sincewhen solidly filled with water the system is relatively incompressiblein proportion as trapped air is absent therefrom, surgings in the pipesdue to water hammer and other causes are correspondingly minimized sothat reliable alarm indications can be much more readily secured becausethe alarm devices are subjected to a less extent to the water hammerinterference. The distributing system may com-- prise a supply riser 16connected to the feeding point through they alarm valve and connected atthe various floors of the building or distributing network with one ormore cross mains, such a522, 36 which preferably pitch upward from thevertical or inclined supply riser and are connected with upwardlypitched sprinkler lines such as 24, 25. These supply lines may beconveniently connected with the cross supply main 36 by the use of theTs 23 and interposed nipples illustrated, by which the sprinkler supplylines may be elevated a few inches above the cross supply main to makethis part of the system more certainly air venting. Any

desired number and form of automatic sprinkler heads 26 may be arrangedat suitable intervals along the supply lines which are preferablyconnected at their other ends with suitable cross drains 39, 40 whichare preferably upwardly pitched to their points of connection with oneor more drain risers 20, 21 which extend up through the building and areprovided adjacent their upper ends with any desired form of air ventdevice. This air vent device may be in the form of an automatic floatair vent valve 87 which may as indicated in Fig. 5 have the valve 187mounted on the hollow or other float 190 so that this valve cooperateswith the valve seat 188. lVhen the pipe 21 is empty this vent valvefalls until its float engages the projections or supports 189 in whichposition the valve is open and will remain so until liq uid rises in thepipe sufficiently to raise this float and close the valve. This ventvalve may if desired be used in connection with a manual vent valve 88in the air discharge pipe or if desired the manual air vent 88 may ofcourse be used'alone in some instances. The automatic air vent valve 87insures the release of air from the system and automatically closes thedischarge openirig when the water rises in the system into the valve. Inthis way when the system is filled the water drives the air ahead of italong the generally upwardly pitched supply cross main and sprinklersupply lines and connected cross drains so that the air is not trappedin the system, but is practically all forced ahead of the rapidly movingwater into the drain risers from which it is automatically discharged,any further amounts of air or gas liberated within the distributingsystem or admitted thereto, being automatically vented in the same wayso that the distributing system is thus maintained practically full ofwater under all normal conditions.

It is also desirable to effect the duplex feeding of the sprinklersupply lines so that under emergency conditions when one or more of thesprinkler heads open, water is supplied to them in both directions alongeach of the connected sprinkler supply lines which not only insuresefficient operation but also enables a considerable saving to be made inthe piping installation, since the sprinkler lines and supply system maybe constructed of relatively smaller pipe and feed the same amount ofwater to the sprinkler heads. This may be conveniently effected byconnecting the drain risers to the supply- 36,.for instance, and throughthe cross connection 17, the drain risers 20, 21 and the cross drains39, 40, so that each of the sprinkler heads on one of the sprinklersupply lines 24, for instance, is supplied'with water in both directionsfrom the connected cross main 36 and cross drain 40.

In order to insure the effectiveness of a sprinkler distributing systemit is desirable to periodically test the supply pipes and also theentire distributing network consisting of the connected supply mains,sprinkler supply lines and so forth, on each floor and this may beconveniently effected by providing a suitable measuring device in eachsprinkler network or unit which may comprise an entire floor or thedesired smaller number of sprinkler supply lines so as to provide forthe measurement of the water supplied therethrough under testingconditions which should approximate more or less the emergency operationof the system so as to determine the effectiveness of the pipes underthese conditions and their freedom from clogging. Any suitable measuringdevices may be installed at suitable points in, that is, connected tothe distributing system, so as to separately test each sprinklerdistributing unit or supply line and also preferably to test the wholeor larger portions of the sprinkler distributing network. A convenientmeasuring device for this purpose is a Venturi measuring device such asshown in Figs. 1 and 2 as comprising a suitable Venturi passage ordevice somewhat diagrammatically indicated as 33 which may be interposedin or connected to the cross drain 39 between the drain riser 20 and asuitable cut-01f valve 19 so that the flow of liquid through thisVenturi throat may be measured in any desired way, as by the measuringconnection 46 communicating with the constricted throat of the Venturipassage which may be used alone or in some cases in connection with thecooperating connection 47 with the full area piping system adjacentthereto or in some cases the measuring device may merely have themeasuring connection communicating with the small area throat of theVenturi passage so as to show by the reduction of pressure in themeasuring device the amount of flow which is taking place. The cut-oilvalves 34 in these measuring device connections allow the convenientattachment of a portable measuring device in the shape of a mercury orother pressure gage to one or both of such connections as 46, 47 as byflexible tubes, so as. to be connected in this way to various points inthe distributing system and effect a measurement by observation of thedifferential pressure of the amount of water flowing through the Venturimeasuring device or throat 33. or if desired a pressure gage ormeasuring instrument 51 may be permanently installed in connection withone or both of these measuring connections so as to be available at anytime for such measurements. It is also desirable in many cases toinstall a similar Venturi measuring device in each of the sprinklersupply lines at any convenient point, as for instance, adjacent theconnected cross drains 39 and 40. The Venturi measuring de ices 28 areshown for this purpose in connection with the attached pressure gagemeasuring devices 41 and cut-ofi valves 27. In some cases, however it isdesirable to connect several sprinkler supply lines into a singlesprinkler distributing unit, such as for instance, two of the.

supply lines 24, and install in this connection a Venturi measuringdevice 53 and 50 adjacent the control valve 30. Similar Venturimeasuring devices are indicated as installed on the other separatesprinkler supply lines 2% in connection with cut-off valves (55. Theother sprinkler distributing network indicated in Fig. 1 as arranged ona lower floor of the building may comprise the upwardly pitched crosssupply main 22 and similarly connected sprinkler supply lines 24, 25having the sprinkler heads 26 arranged at suitable intervals thereon.The other ends of these sprinkler supply lines may be similarlyconnected to the upwardly pitched cross drains 37, 38 connected to thedrain risers 20, 21, and similar measuring devices, such as themeasuring devices described may be connected at variouspoints in thisdistributing network as in the case of the upper network so as to allowthe various parts of the distributing system to b separately tested. Inmaking such tests water from the supply system may be run separatelythrough one or more of the sprinkler supply lines or units and allowedto escape from the system, so that the amount of water flowing throughthe different sprinkler supply lines under these conditions can bemeasured and compared with the normal amount flowing therethrough, andthe condition of the lines determined In this sprinkler system thetesting may be readily conducted by closing the cut-off valve 119 in thecross connection 17; and then after closing the shut-off valvescommunicating with all the cross drains such as the valves 19, 32, 27and 65, a suitable discharge connection may be opened so as to allowwater to discharge from the drain systcm in any desired way, as forinstance, by opening the discharge valve 35 so that water candischargefrom the drain system into the connected pipe forming the sewer ordischarge connection. It is thus obvious that under these conditions theopening of anv cut-0H valve such as 19 at once allows water to be drivenby the service pressure through the sprinkler supply lines controlled bythis cut-ofi valve and escape from the system through the open dischargeconnection. In this case the water would flow in the manner indicated bythe arrows in Fig. 2, assuming that the cutoff valves 27 and 19 wereboth open, so that the amountofwater flowing could be readily measuredby the Venturi measuring devices 33 and 28. In this case the flow wouldtake place through the single opened sprinkler line 2% so that itscondition could be readily tested and its freedom from cloggingaccurately determined. Then by closing this individual cut-off valve 27and opening the corresponding cut-off valve on another of these separatesprinkler supply lines or units the various partsof the wholedistributing net work could be quickly tested and any slight stoppagerelieved in many cases by striking or shaking the defective pipe, or ifsuch means proved inefiective by noting its position for more effectiveclearing or flushing operations subsequently. When one sprinkler networkhas been tested in thisway another floor or network may be similarlytested and this periodic testing of the piping installation of thesystem may be thus accomplished in a very short time so that theetliciency of the system can be assured by periodic tests of thisdescription every few months, for instance.

In case any of the sprinkler supply lines or units are found to beclogged or defective they may be effectively cleared of accumulations ofdirt or foreign matter which is occasionally carried up from the supplypipes so as to become lodged or wedged in the smaller area supply linesof the distributing system. This clearing or flushing of the clogged ordefective pipes may be conveniently effected in this system by providingsuitable flush pipes or connections allowing the discharge of water fromthe supply pipes while water is forced into the sprinkler supply linesin the opposite direction through the drain risers and cross drains. Forsuch flushing operations the supply riser valve 96 should be closed,cutting off the supply of water to the distributing system in this way,and the cross connec tion valve 119 opened so as to admit water to thedrain risers which under these conditions would be the sole source ofsupply. The control valves such as 19, 27 and so forth, communicatingwith the defective or clogged sprinkler distributing unit or line shouldthen be opened so as to admit water thereto from the connected crossdrains and a suitableflushing pipe or connection opened to allow thedischarge of water from the cross main or supply riser as through theflushing pipe 94 in the cross main 36 provided with the flushing valve95 or the flushin pipe 97 connected with the sewer or disc argeconnection 18 'so as to allow escape of water when the flushing valve 99is opened. In this way the water under the strong service pressure isforced backward through any clogged'sprinkler supply lines andfrequently can effectively loosen and remove any accumulated or cloggedmaterial especially when assisted by other clearing expedient-s, suchfor instance, as hammering on the pipes, although in extreme casespositive clearing methods are required. These clearing or flushingoperations which carry any accumulations or obstructions backwardthrough the progressively larger supply pipes and out of the systemshould be continued until a test of the flushed sprinkler supply linesor units shows by the connected measuring devices that they are restoredto normal conditions.

Similar duplex feeding, testing or measuring and flushing devices andconnections may also be used of course in connection with distributingsystems having dry pipe valves, that is, in connection with suitable drypipe systems.

Another somewhat similar arrangement is shown in Fig. 3 as comprising adistributing system which may be connected through any desired orsuitable form of alarm valve 9 with a suitable feeding point fed in anydesired way as by the tank feed pipe 8 and connected tank 1 and also ifdesired by the connected pressure tank 7 while the pipe 15 may also befed under some conditions by water from the street or outside main feedpipe 48 when the valve 14 is opened. The distributing system maycomprise the supply or supply riser 16 and connected cross supply mains22, 36, which are preferably upwardly pitched from the feeding point andconnected through upwardly pitched sprinkler supply lines 24, 25. Theupper ends of these sprinkler supply lines are preferably connectedthrough upwardly pitched cross drains 87, 38, 39 and 4:0 with suitabledram rises 20, 21 provided with similar automatic air vent valves 87 inWet pipe systems. In this case the measuring devices for measuring undertesting conditions the flow oceurring through various sprinkler supplylines or the desired larger units of the distributing network may be ofdifierent form, such as any desired form of meter 56 which as shown morein detail in Fig. 4 may be conveniently connected in a by-pass 70extending around that portion of the cross drain 39 which is adjacentthe drain riser 20. By closing the cut-ofi valve and opening the valves57, 58 any water flowing through the sprinkler supply line 25 and crossdrain 39 would thus pass through the meter and its volume be readilymeasured. A similar meter 80 is shown as installed in a by-pass 82 inthis sprinkler supply line so that on closing the cut-off valve 60 andopening the es valves 81, 83 this testing stream of water wouldpassaround the by-pass through the meter whenever the cut-off valve 90 wasopened so as to give a simultaneous determination of its volume on bothof-these meters. Another observing or testing device which may be usedin a somewhat similar way in testing the effectiveness of the pipingsystems is the observation or testing chamber 54 having a transparentfront 85 of glass or the like, so that the amount of flow therethroughcan be observed and approximately determined either in connection withone of the other measuring devices or when used separately. Instead ofhaving a measuring or testing device permanently connected into thedistributing system as above described a measuring connection may beprovided therein such as the pipes 63 in the cross drain 40 adjacent thedrain riser 21 so that any desired measuring or testing device may beconnected in this by-pass as by flexible hose connections with the pipe63 and operate in a similar Way when the valves 62 are opened and thecut-off valve 61 closed, or, if desired, the water which is allowed toflow out of the cross main through the pipe 63 may be dischargedoutdoors or into any other desired discharge after measuring orotherwise testing or observing the amount of flow.

This invention has been described in connection with a number ofillustrative embodiments, forms, proportions, materials, devices andarrangements, to the details of which disclosure the invention is not ofcourse to be limited, since what is claimed as new and what is desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

1. The automatic sprinkler apparatus having a wet pipe distributingsystem comprising a supply riser" and connected reduced area sprinklersupply lines and automatic sprinkler heads, and a drain risercommunicating with said system, connections adapted to supply water tosaid sprinkler supply lines in both directions from said supply riserand said drain riser for emergency service of the system, and flushingvalves and connections to flush the separate sprinkler supply lines ordistributing units from said drain riser.

2. The automatic sprinkler apparatus having a distributing'systemcomprising a supply pipe and connected reduced area sprinkler supplylines and automatic sprinkler devices, and flushing valves andconnections to flush the separate sprinkler supply lines or distributingunits of said distributing systems with liquid flowing back toward saidsupply pipe.

3. The automatic sprinkler apparatus having a wet pipe distributingsystem comprising a supply riser and sprinkler supply lines andautomatic sprinconnected kler heads, and a drain riser provided with anautomatic air vent connected at one or more venting points in saiddistributing system and connections adapted to supply water to saidsprinkler supply lines in both directions from said supply riser andsaid drain riser for emergency service of the system.

4. The automatic sprinkler apparatus having a wet pipe distributingsystem com" prising a supply riser and connected sprinkler supply linesand automatic sprinkler heads, and a drain riser provided with an airvent connected at one or more venting points in said distributing systemand connections adapted to supply water to said sprinkler supply linesin both directions from said supply riser and said drain riser foremergency service of the system.

5. The automatic sprinkler apparatus having a distributing system andfeeding de vices connected to the feeding point of said distributingsystem, said distributing system comprising a supply riser and connectedsprinkler supply lines and a drain riser provided with an automatic airvent valve communicating with said sprinkler supply lines and connectedat upwardly venting points in said distributing system, connectionsadapted to supply water to said sprinkler supply lines in bothdirections from said supply riser and said drain riser for emergencyservice of the system, and measuring devices and connections in saiddistributing system and cooperating valved testing and dischargeconnections to test the flow from said supply riser through separatesprinkler supply lines and distributing units.

6. The automatic sprinkler apparatus having a distributing systemcomprising a supply riser and connected sprinkler supply lines and adrain riser provided with an air vent communicating with said sprinklersupply lines and connected at upwardly venting points in saiddistributing system, connections adapted to supply water to saidsprinkler supply lines in both directions from said supply riser andsaid drain riser for emergency service of the system, and measuringdevices and connections in said distributing system and cooperatingvalved testing and discharge connections to test the flow from saidsupply riser through separate sprinkler supply lines and distributingunits.

7. The automatic sprinkler apparatus having a distributing systemcomprising a supply riser and connected sprinkler supply lines and adrain riser communicating with said sprinkler supply lines, connectionsadapted to supply water to said sprinkler supply lines in bothdirections from said supply riser and said drain riser for emergencyservice of the system, and measuring devices and connections in saiddistributing system and cooperating valved testing and dischargeconnections to test the flow through separate sprinkler supply lines anddistributing units.

8. The automatic sprinkler apparatus having a distributing systemcomprising a supply riser and connected sprinkler supply lines and adrain riser provided with an air vent connected with said distributingsystem, connections to supply water to said sprinkler supply lines inboth directions from said supply riser and said drain riser foremergency service of the system, and Venturi measuring devices andconnections in said distributing system comprising cooperating valveddischarge connections to test the fiow from said supply riser throughseparate sprinkler supply lines or distributing units and flushingvalves and connections to flush said separate sprinkler distributingunits from said drain risers.

9. The automatic sprinkler apparatus having a wet-pipe distributingsystem and point of said distributing system, said distributing systemcomprising a supply riser and connected sprinkler supply lines and adrain riser provided with an automatic air vent valve connected at oneor more upwardly venting points in said distributing system, connectionsto sup ly water to said sprinkler supply lines in both directions fromsaid supply riser and said drain riser for emergency service of thesystem, and measuring devices and connections in said distributingsystem and cooperating valved testing and discharge connections to testthe flow from said supply riser through separate sprinkler distributingunits.

10. The automatic sprinkler apparatus having a wet-pipe distributingsystem comprising a supply riser and connected sprinkler supply linesand a drain riser provided with an automatic air vent valve connected atone or more upwardly venting points in said distributing system,connections to supply water to said sprinkler supply lines in bothdirections from said supply riser and said drain riser for emergencyservice of the system, and measuring devices and connections in saiddistributing system and cooperating valved testing .and dischargeconnections to test the flow through separate sprinkler distributingunits.

11. The automatic sprinkler apparatus having a wet-pipe distributingsystem comprising a supply riser and connected sprinkler supply linesand drain riser provided with an air vent connected at one or moreventing points in said distributing system, connections to supply waterto said sprinkler supply lines in both directions from said supply riserand said drain riser for emergency service of the system, and measuringdevices and connections in said distributing system and cooperatingvalved testing and feeding devices connected to the feeding dischargeconnections to test the fiow through sprinkler distributing units.

12. The automatic sprinkler apparatus havinga distributing systemcomprising a supply riser and connected sprinkler supply lines and aconnected drain riser, connections to supply water to said sprinklersupply lines in both directions from said supply riser and said drainriser for emergency service of the system, and measuring or testingdevices and connections in said distributing system comprisingcooperating valved testing and discharge connections to test the flowfrom said supply riser through separate sprinkler supply lines ordistributing units, and flushing valves and connections to fiush saidseparate sprinkler supply lines or distributing units from said drainrisers.

13. The automatic sprinkler apparatus having a distributing systemcomprising a supply riser and connected sprinkler supply lines and adrain riser communicating therewith, connections to supply water to saidsprinkler supply lines in both directions from said supply riser andsaid drain riser for emergency service of the system, and testingconnections in said distributing system comprising discharge connectionsto test the flow from said supply riser through separate sprinklersupply lines or distributing units, and flushing valves and connectionsto flush the separate sprinkler supply lines or distributing units fromsaid drain risers.

14. The automatic sprinkler apparatus having a distributing systemcomprising a supply riser and connected sprinkler supply lines andautomatic sprinkler heads, and a drain riser communicating with saidsprinkler supply lines, connections adapted to supply water to saidsprinkler supply lines in both directions from said supply riser andsaid drain riser for emergency service of the system, and measuringdevices and connections in said distributing system and cooperatingvalved testing and discharge connections to test the How throughseparate sprinkler supply lines and distributing units.

15. The automatic sprinkler apparatus having a distributing systemcomprising a supply riser and connected sprinkler supply lines andautomatic sprinkler heads, and a drain riser communicating therewith,and testing connections in said distributing system and flushing valvesand connections to flush the separate sprinkler supply lines ordistributing units .from said drain risers.

16. The automatic sprinkler apparatus having a distributing systemcomprising a supply riser and connected sprinkler supply lines andautomatic sprinkler devices. and flushing valves and connections toflush the separate sprinkler supply lines or distributing units of saiddistributing systems with liquid flowing back through said supply rlser.

17. The automatic sprinkler apparatus having a distributing systemcomprising a supply and connected sprinkler supply lines and automaticsprinkler devices, and a flushing valve and connection to flush thedistributing units of said distributing system with liquid flowing backthrough said supply.

18. The automatic sprinkler apparatus having a wet pipe distributingsystem comprising a supply and connected sprinkler lines and automaticsprinkler devices, con nections adapted to supply water from the samefeeding point in both directions to the active sprinkler lines duringthe emergency service of the system, and Venturi measuring devices andconnections in said distributing system comprising cotiperating valveddischarge connections to test the flow through separate sprinklerdistributing units.

19. The automatic sprinkle-r apparatus having a distributing systemcomprising a supply and connected sprinkler lines and automaticsprinkler devices, connections adapted to supply water from the saidfeeding point in both directions to the active sprinkler lines duringthe emergency service of the system, and measuring devices andconnections in said distributing system comprising cooperating valveddischarge connections to test the flow through separate sprinklerdistributing units.

20. The automatic sprinkler apparatus having a distributing systemcomprising a supply and connected sprinkler lines and automaticsprinkler devices, connections adapted to supply water from the samefeeding point in both directions to the active sprinkler lines duringthe emergency service of the system, and cooperating valved dischargeconnections to test the fiow through separate sprinkler distributingunits.

21. The automatic sprinkler apparatus having a distributing systemcomprising a supply and connected sprinkler lines and automaticsprinkler heads, duplicate con nections adapted to supply water from thesame feeding point in said supply in both directions into the activesprinkler lines during the emergency service of the system and flushingvalves and connections to flush the separate sprinkler supply lines ordistributing units of the distributing system with liquid flowing backtoward said supply selectively through each of said duplicateconnections. 7

22. The automatic sprinkler apparatus having a distributing systemcomprising a supply and connected reduced area sprinkler lines andautomatic sprinkler devices, duplicate connections adapted to supplywater from the same feeding point in said. supply in both directionsinto the active sprinkler lines during the emergency service of thesystem, cooperating valved discharge connections to test the flowthrough separate sprinkler distributing units and flushing valves andconnections to flush the separate sprinkler distributing units Withliquid flowing back toward said supply selectively through each of saidduplicate connections.

23. The automatic sprinkler apparatus having a distributing systemcomprising a supply and connected reduced area sprinkler lines andautomatic sprinkler devices, duplicate connections adapted to supplyWater from the same feeding point in said supply inboth directions intothe active sprinkler lines during the emergency service of the system,measuring devices and connections in said distributing system comprisingcooperating valved discharge connections to test the flow throughseparatesprinkler-distributing units and flushing valves and connectionsto flush the separate sprinkler distributing units with liquid flowingback toward said supply selectively through each of said duplicateconnections.

. EVERETT L. THOMPSON. Witnesses:

A. J. Rromnns, A. W. SHOMO.

